Over the years I have had many “phases” of life. Hobbies that have come and gone, passions that have passed and loves that have faded to fond memories. I have been many versions of myself—writer, athlete, scholar, theater-kid, fashion designer, architect, photographer, partyer, chef and adventurer. I still glimpse these parts and pasts from time to time as I continue to melt and mold into newer versions of myself while the years continue to roll by and accumulate like snow on the stake. Though my interests have continued to transform and change, there is one obsession that has stayed with me from my very beginnings—my love of elephants.
This is a simple fact that has been tattooed to the innermost sanctuaries of my soul. Where this awe was cultivated and crafted, I honestly do not know the very thread that sewed the design. It might have been the lovely show called “Babar” that piqued my interest as a child, a cartoon I loved to watch (and vaguely remember the details of) that told the story of an elephant family, or perhaps it was the fateful day while visiting my grandmother in India that I got to ride an elephant in real life. Whatever the spark, it seems this reverence is an eternal flame.
Many of my early sketches and works center around these tusked warriors. Whether depicting their playful cheekiness, propensity for love and attachment to family or their sheer enormity in size, I have many sketches and hours happily devoted to their species. Earlier this week, as I was flipping through some of my old sketchbooks and paintings, I found some of my forgotten pieces. These quirky friends brought a smile to my face and a slight feeling of nostalgia for the early themes and motifs of my whimsical mammals. Though I may not create many elephant friends anymore I do keep them close to my creative corner, my desk adorned with a black and white photo of my giant friend taken by my grandpa and two of my little elephant sculptures to keep me company as I create. I still feel that same devotion for elephants, though my paintbrushes and pens find themselves concentrated on celebrating my real life here in Colorado rather than my fantasy life living amongst the elephant herds of the world.
Today goes out to the elephants of the world, I love you.
As always,
Keep it offbeat!
コメント